HBS Admissions Interviews for the Class of 2015

This is the sixth in series of eight posts. My analysis of the HBS Application for the Class of 2015 (and 2+2 Class of 2017) consists of:

1. Changes to the HBS application
2. An overall introduction to HBS
3. Who should apply to HBS?
4. Essays
5. Recommendations
6. Interviews
7. Post Interview Reflection
8. 2+2 program comments

My comprehensive service clients have been admitted to the regular HBS MBA for the Classes of 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2005 and one 2+2 client admitted to the Class of 2014. My clients' results and testimonials can be found here. In addition to providing comprehensive application counseling on HBS, I regularly help additional candidates with HBS interview preparation. I have worked with a large number of applicants from Canada, Europe, India, Japan, other parts of Asia, and the United States on HBS application. I think that this range of experience has helped me understand the many possible ways of making an effective application to HBS. In the posts in this series, I provide insights based on that experience.


HBS ADCOM HQ 

In my experience, applicants who succeed at HBS MBA interviews go to their interview with a sense of confidence based on having done careful preparation. My clients who have failed the interview stage have often done so because of related reasons: lack of confidence and/or preparation.  Of course, there are times when the post-interview reason for getting dinged is never clear. The reality of having too many well qualified applicants means that many who would certainly make the post-interview cut don't, simply due to lack of available seats. While these issues could be the same for any interview, the reality is that HBS admissions interviews are simply more thorough than that of most other schools. Failure to take this interview sufficiently seriously is a recipe for disaster.

Before reading this post, I suggest reviewing some or all of the following previous posts:
-MBA Application Interview Strategy

-Interview Practice is ABOUT SPEAKING!

-Further Comments on MBA Admissions Interviews 
-General Characteristics of Admissions Officers, Students, and Alumni Interviewers
-Recovering from a bad answer during an MBA admissions interview
-10 Ways to Blow an MBA Admissions Interview
The above posts are my general remarks on MBA admissions interview strategy and apply here.

TAKE PREPARATION FOR HBS VERY SERIOUSLY! Any experienced admissions consultant will tell you that the HBS interview is one that really does require preparation even for those who previously aced alumni interviews.  My colleagues and I have often become depressed about cases where we had great applicants who did not take the HBS really seriously.  By the same token, our clients who really prep for this really do have a much higher rate of admission.  I have had clients who might do 5-20 hours of self-preparation for every hour of time spent with a consultant.  One of my clients admitted to HBS did 2 hours of prep with myself and another counselor and an additional 100 hours on his own. He already had been admitted to Kellogg and Booth, but knew HBS would be different.

I believe in the value of active interview preparation. That is to say, instead of focusing only what questions you might get asked, focus on what you want to say about yourself. A basic any school approach to this would be to connect key words and stories that you hope to use. Given that you can't know exactly what you will be asked, you can at least have prepared for discussing key things that you want to get across to the interviewer.  The following is an "any school" chart:

Active Interview Preparation Chart

Keyword: A selling point or even a weakness	Stories	Questions It Might Answer
Example: Analytical	Development of 6-sigma strategic framework for XXX, inc. Discovery of accounting errors during first year of work. Senior thesis on the S&L Crisis	Name three words that describe you (This would be one) What are your strengths?  Why? (This would be one.) How do you solve complex problems? How could you contribute to your classmates? What skill are you most proud of?

(You can cut and paste this into MS Word or Google docs)
In addition to outlining key words and stories as discuss in my general post on interview strategy, you actually more directly connect this to the specific four criteria (See my essay analysis post) that HBS values in order to see how well you are covering each of the criteria in your interview preparation. The chart below will help you map out your own HBS interview strategy.

HBS Active Interview Preparation Chart

Keywords: A selling point or even a weakness	Stories	Diversity	A Habit of Leadership	Analytical Aptitude and Appetite	Engaged Community Citizenship	Questions It Might Answer
Example: Analytical	Development of 6-sigma strategic framework for XXX, inc.			Analytical		-Name three words that describe you (This would be one) -What are your strengths?  Why? (This would be one.) -How do you solve complex problems? -How could you contribute to your classmates? -What skill are you most proud of?
Cooperative	Overcame team conflict when developing 6-sigma strategic framework for XXX, inc.		-Demonstrates consensus based leadership -Can lead others			--Name three words that describe you (This would be one) -Tell me about a project that you’ve worked recently where you exhibited leadership. -What kind of leader are you?

(You can cut and paste this into Google Docs or Microsoft Word and alter it to include more rows.)

To use the above chart: Try to develop 10 or so keywords and stories that relate to HBS's four criteria for admission. Don't forget to include weaknesses when you do so.  Your objective is be ready to tell your best stories as effectively as possible. Use the above chart to help determine which key words and stories will convey the most about you.  Remember that you want to use stories that are different from the ones you used in your essays. You might be asked about something in your application, which you should be prepared to discuss, but also assume you will need to provide new stories as well. 

You need to know your application very completely as you will be asked by adcom about its content. Review your entire application (not just resume and essays, but everything including the transcript) very carefully and consider what your interviewer might ask you to explain more thoroughly. Remember: Anything is fair game. Assume that the weakest parts of your application will be topics in the interview. Assume the worst-case scenario and be very prepared to address their concerns. Given the annual failure rate at HBS, if you have any academic weaknesses (low GPA, a relatively weak TOEFL, insufficient proof of a quantitative background), be ready to address those issues. Be prepared to tell new stories and alternative versions of the stories you told in your essays.

If you think that either your English ability and/or interview skills are somewhat weak, be prepared to do extensive practice both with other people and alone. The self-study component can be particularly effective if you are trying to cover a huge range of questions and also master telling your best stories.

A point I will be making to own clients who have been invited for the HBS interview is that proper preparation for this interview really requires that you look for all the weak points in your application: Rip yourself apart in order to try and determine what you need to be especially ready to address. Getting a fresh perspective by reviewing your own application is certainly helpful. In addition, you should consider having one or more other people who can help you prepare for this and who will review your entire file. If you use any paid services, make sure that the mock interviewer (admissions consultant, admissions counselor, interview coach) will be reading your application first and developing a list of questions based on that review and with an understanding of what HBS asks, otherwise they are not really helping you prepare for an HBS interview. When I do mock interviews for interview-only clients, I always ask to read their applications if they are not doing a blind interview. For schools like HBS and MIT, which are never blind, reading the whole application (especially the essays) is critical for simulating the real thing.

The questions you get will be specific to you. Most questions will not be odd, but they may be unexpected. On the other hand, a number of reports indicate that the majority of questions are actually common ones. See my previous post on interviewing. Be able to articulate clearly what you want to learn at HBS and what you can contribute. While it is important to be able to discuss leadership, don't assume the interview will be entirely focused on it. The interviewer will come in knowing what they want to ask you.

In addition to my own knowledge, I have reviewed reports of Harvard Business School interviews found at accepted.com and clearadmit.com.  My colleague, Steve Green, has collected and organized some of the commonly asked questions from those sites.
His general conclusions about HBS interviews:

• Expect to be asked for more details about most every topic discussed
• Expect topics to change as the interviewer will pursue detailed answers to topics that interest him/her
• Expect questions to feed off your responses rather than to be scripted
• Don’t be surprised if the interviewer does not allow you to ask questions: they treat this interview as a chance to learn as much about you as possible in a limited time
• Bottom line: Harvard interviews are quite rigorous compared to other MBA admissions interviews  

Here are the questions Steve has collected and organized.

RESUME, CURRENT POSITION

• Explain your career path. / Take me through your resume.
• Describe your career progression, and talk about the most important things you learned about yourself along the way.
• Why did you choose to join this company?
• How did you pick your current job?
• What are the best and worst things about your current job?
• How did you end up at your company?
• What do you think about their training program?
• What's the company's position compared to its competitors?
• What was different about your previous job compared to this one?
• What was the most surprising aspect about this company when you first joined?
• What worries you about the company?
• Explain your career path.
• Why did you want to work in _____________?
• How has your leadership evolved with your promotion(s)?
• Who do you admire in your current industry?
• Where is the industry heading?
• Who do you admire in your post-MBA industry?
• Where is the industry heading?
• Tell me about your typical day?
• How do you find the time to do all you do?
• What’s most important to you outside of work?
• Why did you choose to major in X at your undergrad university?
• Why did you enjoy (SOMETHING FROM UNDERGRAD)?

REASONS FOR MBA, HBS

• What is your career vision?
• What are the steps you plan on taking to get there?
• What are the challenges you will face?
• How will an HBS MBA help you?
• Why do you want an MBA?
• When did you decide to get an MBA?
• Why HBS?
• In class, what type of profiles are you looking to meet? From who would you like to learn something?
• What can you contribute to HBS case method discussion?
• What experience outside the classroom are you looking for at HBS?
• What will you do if you don't get into business school?
• If we called you and said there is only 1 seat left in the class and 10 candidates remaining, what would you say differentiates you from them?
• How do you want to impact HBS?

LEADERSHIP & TEAMWORK

• Tell me about a project that you’ve worked recently where you exhibited leadership.
• What kind of leader are you?
• Who is a leader that you admire and why?
• Name a business leader you admire (non-government).
• Tell me about a time you had to work with someone you did not get along with.
• Give me an example of a project you’ve had a difficult time with.
• Tell me about a time when you raised an unpopular idea?

STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES

• What do you feel you need to improve most at your current job?
• What would your supervisor say is a weakness?
• How would your colleagues describe you?
• Your recommender mentioned that you excellent at what you do: Why do you think that is?
• Give me an example of a project you’ve had a difficult time with.

VALUES & PERSONALITY

• How did you find the application process? Did any of it surprise you?
• Is there something about you that has not been addressed in your application?
• What is a recent non-fiction book you’ve read? (FOLLOW UP)
• What is the most recent fiction book you’ve read?
• What do you think the author was trying to say about society?
• What is the most interesting article you’ve read lately?
• Did you agree with it?
• What is a common misperception people have about you?
• Can you tell me about a time when people’s perceptions about you turned out to be wrong?
• What words would people use to describe you?  
• What would your 5 closest friends say about you? Why?
• What would a peer that knows you well say you should keep doing, start doing, or stop doing?
• Is there anything that would surprise me?
• What do you do when you have a really bad day?
• What TV shows do you watch?
• What sources do you use for news?
• Given what you know now, if you could go back to university and pick your subjects, which ones would you?
• What motivates you to get out of bed every morning?
• What drives/motivates you?
• If you could have lunch with anyone in the world who would it be?
• Who would you want to sit next to in your first year at HBS?
• What would be your dream job?
• How would the people who know you best describe you?
• What are people surprised to learn about you?
• How do you fit with different cultures?

CONCLUSION

• What’s a question that you thought I was going to ask you but didn’t?
• Is there anything else that you haven't mentioned in your application that you would like to share at this time?

Assume there will be at least one question for which you might not be ready for, but don't panic. Take a deep breath. Answer the question and do not become flustered. Be ready to answer questions about a hypothetical case study, conflict with colleagues, and the latest book you read as these have all been reported frequently.  For example,  If you are asked what is your favorite flavor of ice cream is (I have had clients asked questions almost like this) and you hate ice cream say that.  If you like ice cream just briefly state why for whatever flavor you like and assume that the recommender is just seeing how you react to a question you were not ready for.

Adcom interviewers are usually friendly, but to the point. They don't do stress interviewing exactly, but they will question you intensely. They will be taking notes. Anything you say can be subject to inquiry, so speak concisely, answer questions precisely, and try to avoid voluntarily bringing up any topics that you really don't want to talk about. Assume the you will be asking follow-up questions, expect to be able to analyze/explain in a great deal of depth. Your interviewer will know exactly what he/she wants to ask you because the purpose of the interview is (1) to see if you look as good in reality as you did in paper and (2) to address any concerns that they have about your suitability for HBS.

Don't Psych yourself out! It is particularly important that you don't worry too much about your perception of the interviewer's attitude as this can be a particularly good way to become nervous.  I have had too many reports of clients doing this with HBS.  Your interviewer maybe less friendly or more friendly, maybe more aggressive or less agressive, but whatever their attitude focus on your answers.  Feel free to panic and cry after you have exited the interview, but avoid doing so during it.

Reported interview length for all interviews is 30 minutes.  HBS is totally consistent about this.  So part of effective preparation on your part, means really considering time management and not wasting time in the interview by providing answers that are too long.

In my next post, I discuss the Post Interview Reflection. 

-Adam Markus

I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form. Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.

HBS Recommendations for the Class of 2015

This is the fifth in series of eight posts. My analysis of the HBS Application for the Class of 2015 (and 2+2 Class of 2017) consists of:

1. Changes to the HBS application
2. An overall introduction to HBS
3. Who should apply to HBS?
4. Essays
5. Recommendations
6. Interviews
7. Post Interview Reflection
8. 2+2 program comments

My comprehensive service clients have been admitted to the regular HBS MBA for the Classes of 2014, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2005 and one 2+2 client admitted to the Class of 2014. My clients' results and testimonials can be found here. In addition to providing comprehensive application counseling on HBS, I regularly help additional candidates with HBS interview preparation. I have worked with a large number of applicants from Canada, Europe, India, Japan, other parts of Asia, and the United States on HBS application. I think that this range of experience has helped me understand the many possible ways of making an effective application to HBS. In the posts in this series, I provide insights based on that experience.

HBS RECOMMENDATIONS 
For more about recommendations in general see my previous posts, "10 Key Points For Writing An Effective Recommendation: What Every Recommender Should  Know" and "Further Comments on Selecting the Right Recommenders."
You will need three recommendations for applying to join the HBS Class of 2015 (2+2 applicants need only two recommenders). I like the HBS recommendation questions best because they are short and sweet. Many other MBA programs torture recommenders with a series of typically 6-10 questions, while HBS takes a relatively recommender-friendly approach.  Another thing that I like about the HBS recommendation questions is that they are found on the HBS website and don't require registering as a fake recommender to obtain. It is really annoying to have to go through the process of a registering as a fake applicant and then registering fake recommenders in order to look at recommendation questions! I try to avoid doing that. Some schools seem to think that no one has figured out how to get access to these things or that there is something wrong in having applicants have easy access. Applicants need to see the questions because there is a very good chance that they will need to advise recommenders on the questions, especially if their recommenders are not familiar with this process.  Why make something that should be so easy to obtain so difficult?

In the next part of this post, I discuss some issues related to selecting HBS recommenders. I then discuss the four recommendation questions. Finally, I discuss the place of the recommendations within your overall HBS application strategy.

PART 1: SELECTING YOUR RECOMMENDERS

In addition to what I have written below, please see here for how to select recommenders.

No Peers Please (Well mostly)! Many other options are possible!

For applicants applying to HBS and Stanford, it is often tempting to use the same recommenders. Given the similarity of 3 out of 4 of the recommendation questions, it would obviously be ideal to do so.  However, Stanford requires a peer recommendation and HBS does not want one: 

Recommenders should be individuals who know you well and who can relate specific and relevant details about your abilities and performance. We believe that supervisors from an internship or part-time work experience, professors, advisors, and mentors can all serve as equally good recommenders. The Admissions Board discourages recommendations from peers.

There is only one type of situation where HBS has stated that it will accept a peer recommendation:
It's true, we are not a School which asks for a recommendation from a peer. However, if there is an important part of your candidacy which can only be validated by a peer (a start-up, for instance), that's a fine choice.

Both HBS and Stanford want two professional references, so most applicants to both schools can easily use the same 2 out of 3 recommenders. 

I find that the third recommender is often different for these schools:

Peers: A senior colleague who acts like a mentor would be fine at HBS, but not a colleague who is your true peer in terms of position. While it is possible to use the same colleague for HBS and Stanford in some cases, be careful with this. I find that at least half of my clients who apply to both Stanford and HBS need to use a total of four recommenders.

Professors: Unlike Stanford, HBS is one of the few business schools that will happily take a recommendation from a professor, which is especially good for younger applicants.  HBS's want someone who is clearly in a superior position to you. For Stanford, it would be fine to use a professor if you actually worked for them.  For example, a college senior who served as teaching or research assistant could certainly use his or supervisor. What Stanford does not really want is a professor's recommendation (Strictly academic Letters of Reference generally are less helpful in our evaluation.). 

Another Supervisor: For HBS, there is ultimately no problem with having three workplace recommendations from supervisors. For Stanford, it would be fine to have two supervisors and one peer from your workplace.  

HBS is quite clear on the fact that three recommendations can all come from the same workplace:
So, in the hope that this will add clarity, let me re-phrase our guidance: we are fine if ALL the recommendations come from the workplace. Even from the same firm. We are not trying to add the additional hurdle of needing to hear a voice from every phase of your past and present life. If it's not possible to get ANY recommendation from your current workplace, you may wish to explain this situation briefly in the Additional Information section of the application. This is NOT an unusual occurrence - we don't expect every boss in the world to be excited about losing top talent to business school. As is always the case, use your best judgment about this.

If you are applying in secret or can't or don't want to otherwise use your current supervisor: As the above statement from HBS makes clear, this is common enough, so my advice would be to use recent supervisors or effective supervisor substitute.  A supervisor substitute might be a mentor, senior colleague, a business partner, a competitor, or a client. If you are coming from an entrepreneurial or family business background, you will likely need to use at one supervisor substitute.

Using HBS Alumni as Recommenders: I just wanted to mention that given that HBS has the largest alumni network of any MBA program, it is not necessarily the case that one should prioritize obtaining recommendations from HBS alumni.  If you are fortunate to have such a person who can effectively recommend you, that is great, but selecting an HBS alumni simply because they are an alumni is not necessarily smart because there will be so many of them. The most important thing is to have a recommendation that will really standout and fully convinces HBS about your past accomplishments, suitability to enter HBS in 2013, and future potential.

PART 2: THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Keep in mind that recommendations must be completed online and that HBS wants all recommenders to follow their standard procedures. My analysis of the four questions below is written from the perspective of providing advice to the recommenders.  It is suitable to be passed on to recommenders as general advice.

Please comment on the context of your interaction with the applicant. If applicable, briefly describe the applicant's role in your organization. (250 words)
Adam's Quick Interpretation: How well do you know the applicant and what do they do? 
As I emphasized in my 10 Key Points Post, "#2: YOU BETTER KNOW THE APPLICANT OR CREATE THE APPEARANCE THAT YOU REALLY DO," it is critical that the recommender establish the legitimate basis upon which they are making this recommendation.  A clear description that is explicit about the time knowing, organizational relationship to, and extent of observation of the applicant is critical.  In addition, this answer should, even though it is not stated, begin the act of advocating for the applicant (My key point #10: BE AN EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE FOR THE APPLICANT).  In the process of describing the applicant's role in your organization, highlight the ways they have added value to the organization. 

How does the candidate's performance compare to other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? (250 words)

Adam's Quick Interpretation: Show how the applicant adds value in ways that are distinct from his/her peers.

Directly compare the applicant to his or her peers in the process of explaining the applicant's role in your organization or similar organizations.  While you should not unrealistically overstate the applicant's role, I highly recommend that you clearly indicate what makes him or her special.  You will not be helping the applicant very much if they are not positively distinct in one or more ways.  Provide at least one very concrete example of what makes the applicant special in comparison to others. You should make it clear who you are comparing the applicant to. Ideally you will make that comparison in a way that favors the applicant. If you come from an organization with highly talented people and the applicant is just one of many talented people, you should especially focus on ways that differentiate the applicant from others, most likely through a very specific example. Don't be afraid to praise the overall group that the applicant is being compared to as long as you especially identify the ways the applicant adds value to your organization.

Please describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant's response. (250 words)

Adam's Quick Interpretation: If you are qualified to write this recommendation, you have provided constructive feedback to the applicant!

I consider this to actually be the ideal question for determining whether a recommender actually knows an applicant well.  After all, casual acquaintances, your dad's friend, the President of your country, and other such personages that often take the form of bad VIP recommendations, cannot effectively answer this question. As this will be a situation where you are criticizing the candidate, Key Point #7: BE CRITICAL, BUT NUANCED applies. Clearly describe what the candidate did that resulted in you providing feedback. Next describe how the applicant responded. An effective and applicant friendly answer here will be one where the applicant learned from and was, ideally, able to implement your feedback.  Assume that HBS believes that great leaders learn from their mistakes and they are trying to gauge the extent to which the applicant has the potential to be such a leader.

Please make additional statements about the applicant's performance, potential, or personal qualities you believe would be helpful to the MBA Admissions Board. (250 words)

Adam's Quick Interpretation: OK, so what else should HBS really know about the applicant?

Other schools will often ask two questions or more to address this same issue as HBS does in this one question. What I really like about this is that the recommender is not forced to fit the applicant into a specific category. Such attempts at fitting round pegs into square holes can certainly take much time for a recommender to address. HBS makes it easy for recommenders to focus on what they consider most important to say about an applicant.  This space should be used to focus on the absolutely critical selling points about the applicant that the recommender really wants HBS to know and that have not be conveyed in the first three questions.  Core accomplishments, interpersonal and/or professional skills, and future potential are the ideal topics to write about here.  

Part 3: THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE OVERALL HBS APPLICATION

Keep in mind that the recommendations are an important of your application. With a total word count of 1000 words each possible, your recommenders will likely be writing more than the length of your application essays. In fact, given the limited amount of space you have to discuss your own accomplishments, you really need the recommenders to carry some of that burden. Compared to past years, applicants are even more dependent on what recommenders write because of the greatly reduced word count for the essays. What I think this means is that you as an applicant must really consider what stories and aspects of yourself the recommenders are going to write about. Just as with your own essays, you need to really consider how the recommenders will address your leadership, analytical, engaged community citizenship experience and potential as well as elaborate on what makes you stand out (diversity).  Just as with the essays and the rest of the application, you need to consider how your recommenders will communicate about you in ways that connect to the four core criteria (See my prior post) that HBS uses for admission. 

The following table should help you really plan for this.

Recommendation Strategy Planning	Diversity	Habit of Leadership	Analytical Aptitude and Appetite	Engaged Community Citizenship
Recommender 1
Recommender 2
Recommender 3

(To use the above table for yourself, simply copy and paste it. I checked it on both Google Docs and MS Word and it works.)
 For each recommender consider what stories or examples you would want them to provide to cover 1 or more of the four core criteria.  Consider noting both abstract qualities (For example, "decisive" under Habit of Leadership) and specific examples (For example, "Led team in March 2011 on a complex project" under Habit of Leadership).  Your objective is to try and provide as much coverage as possible of your key selling points and experiences that you can't fully cover in your own essays and/or want additional supportive evidence for. 

While I assume that you will be in an effective position to let the recommender know what you would like them to write about, it is important to keep in mind that you don't want your recommender to write something that completely duplicates what you wrote in essay as that does not look authentic and/or is a lost opportunity to make another point. You are not recommenders, so do keep in mind that you don't want their recommendations to sound like you wrote them. In any case, you want to actively play a role in making sure that your recommenders are making the best possible case for your admission.  You want your recommendations to be both perceived as authentic and as making an effective case for you.

In the next post in this series I discuss interviews.

-Adam Markus

I am a graduate admissions consultant who works with clients worldwide. If you would like to arrange an initial consultation, please complete my intake form. Please don't email me any essays, other admissions consultant's intake forms, your life story, or any long email asking for a written profile assessment. The only profiles I assess are those with people who I offer initial consultations to. Please note that initial consultations are not offered when I have reached full capacity or when I determine that I am not a good fit with an applicant.